Course description

‌A career in occupational therapy offers variety, purpose and immense job satisfaction. Successful completion of this degree ensures you are eligible to apply to the HCPC to join a rewarding profession where you can help people facing physical and mental challenges to overcome barriers to their independence.

Study Occupational Therapy at Derby. Our outstanding heritage, accessible and supportive lecturers and professional networks which help you find your dream job are just some of the reasons our students voted us one of the top courses in the UK in the National Student Survey.

With outstanding subject knowledge and a wealth of industry experience, our lecturers including Karen Newberry provide you with the opportunity to fulfil your potential:

Join the thousands of occupational therapists who have benefited from Derby’s high-quality, distinctive and innovative courses. Ours was the first Occupational Therapy School set up under the auspices of the NHS back in 1948 so we have a strong heritage and reputation in this important field.

A worthwhile and rewarding career

As an occupational therapist, you’ll support people who have a range of difficulties to perform the everyday activities which are key to their health and wellbeing – from work, sport and leisure to aspects of self-care.

This is a profession with a huge reach. It could mean adapting elderly people’s living environments so they can stay in their own homes, devising strategies to assist people with dementia, helping patients adjust to life after a stroke or surgery, or ensuring children with disabilities can take a full part in school life or at play.

Our course equips you for the challenge. You’ll gain the practical, theoretical and interpersonal skills to help people with disabilities, illnesses and long-term conditions to overcome the obstacles that prevent them from reaching their full potential.

A career in occupational therapy delivers huge satisfaction – and that starts with your degree. In the 2018 National Student Survey the course received an overall satisfaction score of 96.55%.

A course with professional credibility

Our degree is designed to meet rigorous professional standards. It is accredited by the Royal College of Occupational Therapists, and approved by the World Federation of Occupational Therapists and the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). When you graduate, you’ll be eligible to apply to the HCPC for registration to practise.

We have exceptionally strong links with employers which open doors for you. Latest statistics show that 98% of our graduates are employed or in further study within six months of completing the course.

For the first year of study, the programme covers the cost of student membership to the Royal College of Occupational Therapists. Membership includes access to online learning and events, professional journals, career advice and up to date professional resources.

Hone your skills through practice-based learning

Almost half of the course is taken up with exciting opportunities to enhance your skills in real-world settings. There are three periods of practice-based learning, which you usually undertake full time, for a set number of weeks during each year of study.

Primarily in the East Midlands, the settings for practice-based learning range from the NHS and social services to the private and voluntary sectors. You’ll experience how occupational therapists work with people in different age groups and with different physical and mental health concerns. This builds the optimum range of skills for becoming a qualified practitioner and helps you make more informed decisions about your future career direction.

We organise all three placements for you so we can ensure you’ll be supported by qualified occupational therapists who are trained to assess and develop your practical skills.

An inspiring learning environment

We offer superb training facilities for practical sessions in realistic settings. They include an NHS standard six-bed hospital ward and a rehabilitation kitchen.

We have also invested in latest technology so that you can benefit from a variety of virtual and immersive environments which will enrich your learning experience.

Expertise, commitment and enthusiasm

You’ll be inspired by a dedicated and highly skilled teaching team. They are all registered and experienced occupational therapists who can give you insights into the many different aspects of the profession. Throughout your studies you’ll benefit from the support of a personal tutor too.

Our team is also research active so will keep you informed about latest thinking and trends. We are involved in national special interest groups and have expertise in areas such as posture management, hand therapy, mental health recovery and working with patients who have dementia. You could even conduct noteworthy research yourself: some students have work featured in OT News and other leading publications.

In tune with new developments

This course is closely mapped against the needs of employers to ensure your learning is meaningful and relevant. In delivering the programme, we respond to national changes such as latest government policies. As a result, some of the information about the course may change.

As health care is increasingly delivered by multi professional teams, we offer inter-professional learning opportunities at each stage of the course so that you learn with, and from, students from other disciplines. This is really important in helping you understand how occupational therapists work in partnership with other professionals in different settings. By learning to work together, you can help achieve the best outcomes for patients and clients.

How you will learn

The course entails a mixture of theory and practical elements to give you an excellent preparation for starting work when you graduate.

You will be taught through experiential learning, group activities, lectures, online learning, seminars, tutorials and workshops. Your learning will integrate theory and practice, including developing practical skills essential for your practice based learning modules and future career. You may be in a large group for learning activities such as lectures, but will work in smaller groups for activities such as workshops and practical sessions.

Practice-based learning

The course includes three periods of practice-based learning where you will work full time in practice for a set number of weeks. You will work in three separate areas of practice to ensure you build the optimum range of skills for becoming a qualified practitioner.

How you’re assessed

You’ll be assessed through a range of methods including assignments, case study work, written and practical exams, practice-based learning assessments, and presentations. We support you to prepare for these assessments in various ways including assignment tutorials and Internet-based resources. You also will receive feeback on one assessent in time for you to learn and develop from this to input into your next assessment.

If you have additional needs, support is available within the university.

Who you'll meet

Our teaching team is made up of registered occupational therapists who have worked in a variety of settings. Practitioners from specialist areas in occupational therapy, ‘experts by experience’, patients and carers will also come into the University to share their insights with you.

Alternative entry qualifications:

We usually consider an A-level in General Studies as a supplementary qualification. A good application/performance will be taken into account if you do not meet the criteria/offer conditions.

Additional requirements

An Occupational Health Assessment and Clearance by the University is required for this course. We will contact you with information on how to complete this when required. More information.

You will need to be familiar with at least two areas of occupational therapy. Shadowing experience with an Occupational Therapist is desirable, ideally in more than one setting. You should also demonstrate what you have learnt from this.

An Enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service certificate cleared by the University is required for this course. We will contact you with information on how to complete this once you have applied. More information.

Our entry requirements for this course should be read together with the University's general entry requirements, which details subjects we accept, alternative qualifications and what we're looking for at Derby.

Fees and funding

2019/20 Fees

Full-time

Part-time

UK/EU

£9,250 per year

£1,155 per 20 credit module

International

£14,250 per year

N/A

New students on Nursing and Allied Health Profession (AHP) courses will take out maintenance and tuition loans like other students rather than receiving an NHS grant. Find out more

You won’t have to pay any money upfront: tuition and living cost loans work just like a tax on your earnings rather than a commercial or payday loan. You will only start paying back the loans when you are earning above £25,000 per year and will pay 9% of any income above £25,000.

You can also secure grants – which do not have to be repaid – to cover childcare and the costs of travelling to your placement.

Additional financial support is available from the NHS for this course. Please see their webpage for more information.

How to apply

Full-time students applying to start in September should apply for this course through UCAS or you can apply directly to the University for an undergraduate course if you’re not applying to any other UK university in the same year.

Full-time students applying to start in September should apply for this course through UCAS or you can apply directly to the University for an undergraduate course if you’re not applying to any other UK university in the same year.

You could progress to important roles in many areas of the NHS, such as:

Acute medical care

Paediatrics

Mental health and secure environments

Your role could centre on hospitals, clinics and GP practices or it could entail visiting patients at home or work.

You could also consider working in social services, charities and voluntary organisations, schools, prisons, companies and businesses, or in private practice.

As this course is approved by the World Federation of Occupational Therapists, you’ll also be eligible to apply for registration to work overseas.

Take your studies to the next level

As a qualified occupational therapist, you will have excellent foundations for your career but you will undoubtedly want to build on your knowledge and strengthen your prospects as your progress in your role.

We offer a full range of professional development options to help you gain more advanced and specialist skills – from part-time stand-alone CPD modules which can be incorporated into your workplace practice through to postgraduate study up to doctoral level.

Flexibility is a hallmark of our approach: studying a stand-alone module enables you to focus on an area which particularly interests you without having to commit to a full postgraduate degree. However, if you then decide to move onto a full postgraduate course, we will support you.

† Additional information about your studies

Teaching hours

Like most universities, we operate extended teaching hours at the University of Derby, so contact time with your lecturers and tutors could be anytime between 9am and 9pm. Your timetable will usually be available on the website 24 hours after enrolment on to your course.

Additional costs and optional extras

We’re committed to providing you with an outstanding learning experience. Our expert teaching, state-of-the-art facilities and great employability prepare you for your future career. As part of our commitment to you we aim to keep any additional study costs to a minimum. However, there are occasions where students may incur some additional costs.

Included in your fees

Travel and accommodation expenses associated with placements are to be met

Please note: Our courses are refreshed and updated on a regular basis. If you are thinking about transferring onto this course (into the second year for example), you should contact the programme leader for the relevant course information as modules may vary from those shown on this page.